Review: Harsh Toke – Light Up and Live

Harsh Toke
Light Up and Live
Tee Pee Records
Street: 11.19.13
Harsh Toke = Dead Meadow + Radio Moscow
The fact that bassist Richie Belton and guitarist Justin “Figgy” Figueroa are at the forefront of professional skateboarding is a mere footnote when talking about these SoCal shredders. The music speaks for itself—and loudly it speaks. Clocking in at just under 40 minutes, this four-song LP doesn’t waste a beat shrilling up cosmic sounds that ring out ad infinitum. But there’s some special touch that sets this record apart from the continuous deluge of jam-band psychedelia. Perhaps it’s that the entire thing sounds like a lost tape from Maggot Brain or something. –Jordan Deveraux